CHARLOTTESVILLE (WINA) – Former City Manager Tarron Richardson has filed suit in Charlottesville federal court against City Council, Mayor Nikuyah Walker, Councilor Heather Hill, City Attorney Lisa Robertson, and former City Attorney and former interim City Manager John Blair. Among the grounds, he alleges a disparagement clause he was forced to sign violates the 1st Amendment, and that he resigned “after withstanding malicious attacks from City Council for more than a year”.
The suit states the city hired Richardson to reorganize city government infrastructure that had been devastated after Unite the Right, and “bring needed accountability to city leadership”. However, he alleges Mayor Walker and Councilor Hill worked first to appoint a “deputy city manager” to usurp his duties, but notes that did not happen after Councilor Lloyd Snook objected that the plan “was unlawful”, citing city code that the City Manager was only authorized to select a deputy city manager.
The suit also alleges Hill responded by having fire and police department leaders go around Dr. Richardson and actually report to her. Richardson alleges Hill and former fire chief Andrew Baxter then try to “manufacture accusations against Dr. Richardson for supposedly mismanaging the city in an attempt to force him out of office”.
The suit asks for 7 things, including allowing him to speak freely, awarding of costs and attorneys fees for this suit, and “further relief as the court deems appropriate or that is necessary to make the plaintiff whole”.
Click below to view the entire suit.
